Meeting Notes - April 7, 2017

The latest Sansar release was discussed in detail and creators shared updates on their Sansar creations and experiences at the April 7 office hours. Among those in attendance were:, VP of Product Bjorn Laurin, Senior Software Engineer Kelly Washington, Senior Director of Global Communications Peter Gray, Digital Content Manager Brett Atwood, and Lead Community Manager Jennifer.

As mentioned in the latest Release Notes, new features of the latest update include:

Added support for ambisonic playback via the .ambix format - You can now add ambisonic audio tracks in your scenes. Ambisonic audio is like a Skybox for sound -- Sound surrounds the listener with each source in the track precisely placed in 3D space. Great for ambient audio! Before importing your .wav file, make sure to add .ambix file extension on the file’s name.

Improved Touch Control Scrolling - Now you can navigate the Atlas more quickly in VR - using Touch Controls, just hold the right thumbstick to scroll.

“Visit Scene” Button in VR - The Visit Scene button has been added on the My Projects app when in VR mode. With this added button, you can now visit unlisted scenes that you created without the need to go into edit mode first.

Right-Clicking on the Scene Object List - Now you can right click on objects in the Scene Objects window in edit mode. This allows you to access operations such as duplicate, lock, delete, and open the properties window. More options to come soon!

Scripting API Updates - Kelly answered questions about several scripting API updates in the latest release, which enable creators to do more than ever with C#. In addition, Kelly and Bjorn unveiled two new free scripts that are now available in the Sansar Store.

Desktop vs. VR mode - The Sansar team and creator community discussed the merits of both modes, while Bjorn reaffirmed that development will continue to optimize Sansar experiences regardless of how they are accessed.

Accessories for Avatars - In the next few weeks, Sansar will support accessory creation (such as necklaces and backpacks), allowing for further avatar customization.

Version Updating for the Store - Creators will in the future be able to update versions of their Sansar Store offerings without having to create an entirely new listing, according to Bjorn.

Community Wiki - Some community members expressed interest in the establishment of an official Sansar wiki to help creators share information and learn from others. While no estimate is available on availability of a wiki, the community is encouraged to use the Creator Forum.

Music & Radio Streams - A creator inquired when/if radio streams will be available to add to their experiences. While not on the immediate road map, it was confirmed that creators will be able to eventually stream music and radio services. In the shorter term, creators will be able to embed a URL for an asynchronous media stream (such as YouTube) on a texture.